Method of forming fastener assembly



March 4, 1969 V s. AUSNIT 3,430,329

METHOD OF FORMING FASTENER ASSEMBLY Original Filed June. 10. 1965 Ill/Ill INVENTOR.

57': l EA/ AUS/V/T BY 14 8; ATTORNEYS United States Patent METHOD OF FORMING FASTENER ASSEMBLY Steven Ausnit, 124 E. 61st St., New York, N.Y. 10021 Original application June 10, 1965, Ser. No. 462,821, now

Patent No. 3,324,520, dated June 13, 1967. Divided and this application Nov. 21, 1966, Ser. No. 595,830 US. Cl. 29-408 8 Claims Int. Cl. B21f 45/18; B23p 11/00; A44b 19/00 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention is a method of installing a slider on a pair of flexible closure strips. More particularly, the disclosed embodiment of the present invention is a method of inserting a pair of joinable fastener strips into respective channels of a slider, each channel being defined by a separating finger and a respective side wall of the slider, by placing the side walls of the slider on opposite external sides of the fastener strips and the retaining finger between the fastener strips and pressing the side walls of the slider into contact with the external sides of the fastener strips. In a preferred exemplification of the present invention the slider also includes a bearing flange extending from a lower portion of one side Wall, and the disclosed method includes the further step, during pressing of the side walls, of positioning the flanges under one of the fastener strips.

DISCLOSURE This is a divisional application of my copending application entitled Slider for Fastener Strips, U. S. Ser. No. 462,821, filed June 10, 1965, now Patent No. 3,324,520, granted June 13, 1967.

This invention relates generally to a method of installing a slider on a pair of flexible closure strips having confronting interlocking elements and each being secured on opposite sides of a pouch opening or on an opening of a similar article of manufacture.

A customary method of installing a slider on flexible closure strips of a pouch is to install such a slider on the closure strips prior to their being secured to the pouch. Such a method of installing a slider on a pouch has to be generally done manually and is slow and costly. In addition, it also requires that the slider which is often made of metal, be on the strips during the time these strips are sealed to the plastic sheets of the product in question. This creates a continually present possibility of arcing, resulting in damage to the sealing die. Furthermore any hand mounting of the slider on the strip before the strip is sealed to the product, pre'vent continuous inexpensive automatic manufacture of the product itself.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of attaching a slider to a pair of flexible closure strips after such strips have been secured to the mouth of a bag or pouch.

This and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully realized and understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein a typical slider and associated closure strips are illustrated, and more particularly wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of a bag or pouch with a pair of flexible closure strips at the mouth thereof and a closure strip slider thereon;

FIGURE 2 is a view in perspective of the slider illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view of the slider body with the sides spread apart to receive the closure strips therein; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIGURE 1 with the bag shown broken away and illustrating the relationship of the slider with respect to the closure strips.

AS SHOWN ON THE DRAWINGS Like reference numerals throughout the various views of the drawing are intended to designate the same or similar structures.

With reference to the drawing, and in particular to FIGURE 1, there is shown a pouch or bag 10 which may be fabricated from two sheets of material sealed together at side edges 12 and 14 and at a bottom edge 16, or from a single piece of material folded at the bottom edge 16 and sealed at the two side edges 12, 14. A mouth 18 is provided at an upper portion of the bag 10, and a. pair of closure strips 20 and 22 are secured to the bag 10 at the mouth 18 thereof. A slide 24 engages the closure strips 20, 22 and by movement of the slide 24 across the mouth 18, the closure strips 20, 22 are either joined together or separated from one another.

The slide 24 is more particularly shown in FIGURE 2 and includes a body portion 26 having a top wall 28 and a pair of side walls 30 and 32 extending downwardly therefrom. The side walls 30, 32 are disposed in parallel relationship with one another and substantially at right angles with the top wall 28. At the rearward end of the side walls 30, 32 are provided a pair of wings 34 and 36 extending outwardly from the slider body 26 and tapered outwardly from one another. At the forward end of the slider body 26 is provided another pair of wings 38 and 40 coextensive with the sides 30, 32, respectively. The wings 38, 40 are also outwardly flared and outwardly tapered with respect to one another.

A cantilevered extension 42 extends forwardly of the top Wall 28. Secured to the extended end of the cantilevered member 42 is a finger 44 having an indentation 46 therein and which is orthogonally disposed with respect to the cantilevered member 42. A retaining flange 48 extends from a lower end of the finger 46 and is orthogonally disposed with respect thereto.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the length of the finger designated with the letter D is preferably no less than /2 the height of the slider body designated with the letter A and no more than two times the dimension A. The separating finger 44 is extended from the slider body 26 as designated by the letter B and the length of the body 26, not including the wings, is designated with the letter C. The dimension B should be no less than A the dimension C and should be no more than four times the dimension C. More particularly, the dimension B may have a range of between A. of an inch and of an inch, while the dimension C may have a range of between /4 of an inch to /2 of an inch. The width of the finger 44 is designated with the letter E, while the opening between the side walls 30, 32

3 of the slider body 26 is designated with the letter F. The dimension E should be no less than 0.3 times the dimension F and should be no more than 0.7 times the dimension F. Preferably, the dimension E should be 0.5 times the dimension F.

As illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4, the slider 24 includes a bearing flange 84 extending orthogonally from the side wall 30 thereof and extending the entire length of the side wall 30. The bearing flange 84 is disposed for engaging a shoulder portion 64 of the strip 20. The strip 20 is secured to one edge of the pouch opening by means of a web portion 66 and the strip 22 is secured to the other edge of the pouch opening by means of a web portion 82. The bearing flange 84 eliminates any difficulties arising from the slider 24 riding up on the fastener strips and binding thereon such as in the case of a shorter flange. As will be more fully appreciated hereinbelow, the length dimensions of the slider 24 need not be maintained within a minimum range and, therefore, the hearing flange 84 may be of suflicient length so as to maintain the slider 24 in parallel relationship with the fastener strips, 20, 22 while it is being moved therealong.

The finger 44 with the side wall 30 and wing portion 38 provide a channel for the fastener strip 20 passing through the slider body 26. The top wall 28 and the hearing flange 84 form integral parts of this same channel for maintaining the fastener strips 20, 22 in fixed relationship with the slider 24. Similarly, the finger 44' and the side wall 32 form a channel for the fastener strip 22. Such structure, therefore, does not allow the ribs and grooves of the strip 20 to become misaligned with the ribs and grooves of the strip 22.

A novel feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a method for installing the slider 24 onto the flexible closure strips after the strips have been secured to the mouth of the bag 10. Prior to placement of the slider 24 onto the bag 10, the side walls 30, 32 are spread apart so that the distance between the end of the bearing flange 84 and the side wall 32 is equal to approximately the thickness of the two fastener strips 20, 22. The side walls 30, 32 can be spread a greater distance if desired and also, the slider 24 can be fabricated such that the sides 30, 32 are preset at a predetermined angle which may vary from approximately to as much as 45. This spreading of the sides 30, 32 allows the slider 24 to be placed over the two fastener strips 20, 22 with the finger 44 interposed between the two strips.

The slider 24 can be manufactured with the side walls 30, 32 thereof preset at a predetermined angle from one another, such that the walls may be pressed toward one another after insertion onto the fastener strips. Also, the slider 24 can be manufactured with the walls 30, 32 in parallel relationship to one another, such that they can be spread for insertion onto the strips 20, 22 and thereafter pressing the side walls together to within a predetermined distance of each other suflicient to interlock the fastener strips together. FIGURE 3 illustrates the slider 24 with the side walls 30, 32 thereof preset at an angle G which may vary from approximately 5 to as much as 45. With the side walls 30, 32 spread through the angle G, the slider 24 can be placed on the strips 20, 22 with the finger 44 disposed between the strips. After such insertion of the strips 20, 22 into the respective channels formed by the side walls 30, 32 and the finger 44, the side walls 30, 32 are pressed toward one another and to within a predetermined distance of each other sufiicient to interlock the fastener strips 20, 22 together.

FIGURE 4 illustrates the relative positions of the side walls 30, 32 with respect to the fastener strips 20, 22 after complete assembly of the slider thereon. The dotted line outline, generally designated with the reference numeral 50, indicates the position of the wall 30 during placement of the slider 24 onto the strips 20, 22. As shown, the wall 30 may be spread through an angle H in order to permit insertion of the strips 20, 22 into the slider body 24. Similarly, both walls 30 and 32 may be spread apart in order to permit insertion of the strips 20, 22 into the slider body 24. After such placement of the slider 24 onto the fastener strips 20, 22, the sides 30, 32 can be pressed into the parallel relationshi as shown in FIGURE 4 of the drawing, such that the flange 84 bears against the shoulder '64. Therefore, the present invention provides a method of installing a slider onto a pair of fastener strips after the fastener strips have been secured to the mouth of a bag.

The principles of the invention explained in connection with the specific exemplifications thereon will suggest many other applications and modifications of the same. It is accordingly desired that in construing the breadth of the appended claims they shall not be limited to the specific details shown and described in connection with the exemplifications thereof.

I claim as my invention:

1. A method of inserting a pair of joinable fastener strips into respective channels of a slider each defined by a separating finger .and a respective side wall thereof, one of the strips having an overhanging shoulder and the other being plain, one of said side walls having a bearing flange at its lower end with the finger extending beyond the end of the side walls, comprising the steps of:

placing the side walls of the slider on opposite external sides of the fastener strips and the retaining finger between the fastener strips, and pressing the side walls of the slider into intimate contact with the external sides of the fastener strips and moving said bearing flange beneath said shoulder.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 of inserting a pair of joinable fastener strips into respective channels of a slider each defined by a separating finger and a respective side wall thereof, comprising the further step of:

first spreading the side walls of the slider sufiiciently for the spread walls to fit over joined portions of the fastener strips prior to placing the side walls of the slider on opposite external sides of the fastener strips and the retaining finger between the fastener strips.

3. A method as defined in claim 2 wherein the side walls are spread to an angular displacement with respect to one another of less than 45.

4. A method as defined in claim 2 wherein the side walls are spread to an angular displacement with respect to one another of 45.

5. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein one channel of the slider is further defined by a bearing flange extending from a respective side wall, comprising the further step of:

pressing the side walls of the slider into intimate contact with the external sides of the fastener strips and the bearing flange under one of the fastener strips.

6. A method as defined in claim 5 comprising the further step of:

first spreading the side Walls of the slider snfiiciently for the spread walls to fit over joined portions of the fastener strips prior to placing the side walls of the slider on opposite external sides of the fastener strips and the retaining finger between the fastener strips.

7. The method of inserting a pair of joinable fastener strips into respective channels of a slider each defined by a separating finger and a respective side wall thereof, one of the strips having an overhanging shoulder and the other being plain, one of said side walls having a bearing flange at its lower end with the finger extending beyond the end of the side walls, comprising the steps of:

spreading the side walls of the slider sufliciently for the spread walls to fit over joined portions of the fastener strips,

placing the side walls of the slider an opposite external sides of the fastener strips and the retaining finger between the fastener strips, and pressing together the side walls of the slider to within a predetermined distance of each other sufiicient t0 interlock the fastener strips together and moving said bearing flange beneath said shoulder. 8. A method as defined in claim 7 wherein one channel of said slider is further defined by:

a bearing flange extending from a respective side wall,

and further comprising:

positioning of the bearing flange under one of the fastener strips during pressing of the side walls. 10

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS THOMAS H. EAGER, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 24201, 521 

